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Unemployment claims up in state in January

Staff Report

POSTED:March 1, 2008 5:00 a.m.

ATLANTA -- The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that 66,468 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in January, up 41.8 percent from December.That included a 30 percent increase in Hinesville, up 50 from 171 to 221.The increase in claims came mostly among seasonal workers in construction, retail trade, and the service-related industries, according to the department.The number of initial claims filed in January is up 7.2 percent from January of 2007, when 62,002 were filed. Georgia labor market data are not seasonally adjusted and are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.